Air conditioning in Southwark: what you can install and what the grant covers
Southwark runs from Borough Market's medieval streets to Dulwich Village's Georgian ones, with some of London's largest estate blocks in between — and nearly 18% of its households heat with electricity only, the second-highest rate in this guide. That's the heating the government's £2,500 air-to-air heat pump grant is designed to replace, with a wall-mounted unit that cools in summer too.
See if the £2,500 grant applies to your home — five questions.
Check my eligibilityDo you need planning permission in Southwark?
Houses outside conservation areas usually don't need it for an air-to-air heat pump: one unit, under 1.5 m³, meeting the MCS noise standard (Southwark's renewables guidance points to the same MCS planning standards), not above ground-floor level on a street-facing wall.
Cooling-only air conditioning always needs an application. Southwark's terraced streets in Peckham, Camberwell and Bermondsey mostly qualify for the permitted development route with a rear placement.
Conservation areas in Southwark
Southwark counts 48 conservation areas, including Dulwich Village, Bermondsey Street, Borough High Street and Camberwell Grove, plus about 2,200 listed buildings — Southwark Cathedral and the George Inn among them.
The council's guidance is specific here: in a conservation area the unit must not be visible from the public highway. Rear gardens and internal courtyards are the standard answer; listed buildings need listed building consent on top.
Flats and leaseholds
Around 77% of Southwark households are in flats, and nearly two-thirds of all homes are in purpose-built blocks — the borough's big estates plus the new towers at Elephant and Castle and along the river.
Ex-council leaseholders route consent through the council's home ownership team; new blocks through the managing agent. One Southwark-specific note: about one in ten homes here is on a communal or district heat network — that's not direct electric heating, so those homes take a different route (the checker will tell you in 60 seconds).
The £2,500 grant in Southwark
More than 23,000 Southwark households heat with electricity only — storage heaters and panel radiators across the borough's estates.
The £2,500 air-to-air grant is ring-fenced for exactly these homes: properties replacing direct electric heating. Gas-boiler and heat-network homes don't qualify for this tier. Your MCS-certified installer applies through Ofgem and takes £2,500 off the price — there's no form for you.
See if the £2,500 grant applies to your home — five questions.
Check my eligibilityFrequently asked questions
Do I need planning permission for air conditioning in Southwark?
Houses outside conservation areas usually don't for an air-to-air heat pump. Cooling-only units always need permission; flats — 77% of Southwark homes — need an application plus freeholder consent.
Can I install air con in a Southwark conservation area?
Usually yes, as long as the unit isn't visible from the public highway — Southwark's own guidance uses exactly that test. Rear gardens and courtyards are the standard placements in areas like Camberwell Grove and Bermondsey Street.
Can flats in Southwark get the £2,500 grant?
Yes, if the flat replaces direct electric heating — over 23,000 Southwark households qualify on heating type. Homes on communal heat networks (about 10% of the borough) don't; the checker sorts this in 60 seconds.
Who applies for the grant?
Your MCS-certified installer applies to Ofgem on your behalf and deducts £2,500 from your quote. You never fill in a government form.
Nearby
Useful links
SOURCES
Southwark conservation areas page
Southwark renewables planning guidance
ONS Census 2021 (E09000028)
legislation.gov.uk GPDO Part 14 Class G
Local information is indicative. Confirm planning and costs with an MCS-certified installer for your address, and check the current Ofgem guidance for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.